ULB polls: CPI(M) seeks people-centric civic administration, plans to contest all seats

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, October 3, 2026

Tripura Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury on Saturday said the CPI(M) was preparing to contest all seats in the forthcoming urban local body elections and would campaign for civic administrations that were “accountable” and “democratic”.

Chaudhury said the party had begun preparations for the polls at different organisational levels after its engagement with the recently concluded village committee elections.

“We are getting ready to contest 100 per cent of the seats,” he told reporters while outlining the party’s election preparedness.

The CPI(M) leader alleged that democratic institutions in Tripura had weakened during the past eight-and-a-half years under the BJP-led government.

He also alleged that despite significant expenditure, people in urban areas were not receiving satisfactory civic services.

“Money is being spent like water but what the people living in the urban centres of the state are getting in return is not at all satisfactory,” Chaudhury said.

He further alleged that an “uneasy situation” prevailed across the state and accused BJP workers of being involved in what he termed a “commission racket”.

The BJP has not immediately responded to the allegations.

Chaudhury said the CPI(M) would focus its campaign on the functioning of urban local bodies and issues directly affecting everyday civic life.

Road connectivity, drainage, electricity supply and improvement of civic amenities would be among the issues the party would raise during the campaign, he said.

The Leader of the Opposition also demanded an impartial probe into the September 28 shooting involving a Tipra Motha candidate and two others during the village committee elections in Gomati district.

Referring to statements by BJP general secretary Bipul Debbarma and state president Abhishek Debroy, who had described the incident as a conspiracy, Chaudhury sought clarification on who they believed was behind it.

He also asked the BJP leaders to disclose the identities and affiliations of those arrested in connection with the shooting.

Chaudhury welcomed the subsequent action taken by the Gomati district administration and police and said the investigation should establish the identities of those arrested and determine who allegedly sent them to the area.

The probe should also ascertain whether any other persons were involved in the incident, he said.

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